Osprey south over the Obs

A ringtail harrier south at Blacknor per Graham Bright

Forgot yesterday to post a link to the day's summary: www.portlandbirdobs.com/2025/09/23rd-september.html

Good to know that at least some of scarcities that pitch up on godforsaken migration headlands thrive after they arrive: this Wryneck just retrapped in the Crown Estate Field has increased its weight by 12% in just two days

Wryneck at the end of Barleycrates Lane (where it joins the West Cliffs footpath) per Duncan Cunningham and Graham Bright

A new Wryneck just trapped in the Crown Estate Field

Wryneck in the roadside bushes between the Obs and Lloyd's Cottage per @bikingbirder.bsky.social

For the most part an underwhelming moth migration event over the last couple of nights but another Passenger at the Obs (last night) - the seventh from the island in the last few weeks - was nice. Golden Twin-spot and Blair's Mocha (the night before) best of the rest.

Osprey south over the Obs

Wryneck trapped at the Obs - it's a retrap from 9th September and hasn't been seen in the field since then!

Dotterel north over the Bill calling constantly - eventually lost still high up going towards the Business Park

2 Grey Phalaropes together beside the big weed patch at Chesil Cove this evening; earlier this afternoon 1 through east off the Bill.

Much improved overnight mothing on a calm night at the Obs although the feeling was that most of the migrant catch involved things surfacing after recent inclement weather rather than new arrivals; 9 Convolvulus Hawks the pick of the catch, 285 Rush Veneers their highest total of the year.

Grey Phalarope still amongst the weed patches at Chesil Cove just now per Thomas Miller

Very quiet moth-trapping at the Obs this week but still odd morsels of migrant interest incl 3 Convolvulus Hawks last night, Toadflax Pearl and Pediasis contaminella yesterday 11th and 2 Striped Hawks on Tuesday 9th

Photo from Mark Cutts

Juv Sabines Gull settled in Chesil Cove

Caspian Gull in the Culverwell gull flock again this afternoon per Thomas Miller - seemingly not one of yesterday's birds so the fourth at the Bill in two days

...Booted released into the Obs Quarry and currently showing quite well

BOOTED WARBLER trapped in the Crown Estate Field

Osprey south over Verne Common per David Flack

Marsh Harrier straight out to sea over the Obs

Still far too windy overnight to be able to get amongst the best of the overnight migrant moth arrivals; 3 Latticed Heath and singles of Convolvulus and Striped Hawks the pick of a low key catch at the Obs

Portland Hoopoe disappeared whilst messaging. Searching fields off Watery Lane @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social

Just found a Hoopoe off Weston St opposite Thumb Lane in old football pitch @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social

News from John Lucas of a Scar Bank Gem caught overnight in his garden at Southwell - a quality rarity and think it's only the fourth Portland record. Photo courtesy of John.

Don't think it's been reported anywhere else but there were still 2 Grey Phalaropes settled off Chesil Cove this mrng per @bikingbirder.bsky.social

...think we can see at least 14 in this single snatched photo of part of the flock just as they went out of view so guessing there must have been 15-20 in total

Big flock - 10-20 - of Glossy Ibis just gone north v close up East Cliffs - so close and so briefly seen from the Obs that we couldn't get a proper count of them!

Decent return on all fronts marking the return of benign conditions this morning: Balearic Shearwaters got past 200 for the first time this year; good flurries of migrants on the deck and overhead

Juv Long-tailed Skua west past the Bill just now. Seawatching here otherwise very slow so far: few Balearics and Manx, brief sightings of Storm Petrels sev times but not a lot else